Best Short Hikes In Olympic National Park – Washington State’s Olympic National Park is one of the most magical places on earth, filled with snow-capped mountains, picturesque rainforests, and breathtaking beaches. With such beauty, it’s hard to narrow down the best hikes in Olympic National Park, with more than 600 miles of trails in the park.
But the good news is that I’m lucky enough to live within a few hours of the park and have spent many a weekend on its beautiful trails. So here are 8 of the best Olympic National Park hikes that take you from the top of the Olympic Mountains to the Pacific coast, taking in spectacular views along the way.
Best Short Hikes In Olympic National Park
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Visiting Olympic National Park In Spring
Psssst.. went to the Olympic Peninsula? Make me jealous, it’s one of my favorite places in the world. If you want to make your trip even more epic, check out our other articles about the park:
There’s also a bunch of content around Washington state (what can I say, my city is awesome) that you can check out here.
Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula in the northwest corner of Washington State. To enter the park, you must pay a $30 vehicle entrance fee (good for one week) or show an annual pass like America the Beautiful.
The park itself is huge, 1,442 square kilometers to be exact. car (unlike some national parks, there is no shuttle system here).
Beginner Hikes In Washington: 18 Incredible Spots
While there are many beautiful towns scattered throughout the park, the area itself is quite remote, so before you go, download some offline maps on the Google Maps app, create your favorite playlist, and plan some time.
So, aside from packing your favorite travel snacks, what do you need to know before visiting the park?
All the logistics/”let’s fit” stuff out of the way, let’s talk. Most of the routes in this article are suitable for all levels of surfers, and if you’re on the more challenging side, I’ve suggested an alternative, more affordable route you can try instead.
Because of the expansive nature of the park, I will list the long distances from Port Angeles, Washington, which many visitors use as their home base when returning to the Olympics. Let’s get into it.
Best Easy Day Hiking Guide And Trail Map Bundle: Olympic National Park
Description: Many national parks have mountains and beaches, but what really makes Olympia unique is that it has many rainforests, such as Hoh (while American Samoa National Park has tropical rainforests, Olympia is the average, and the only national park is). Well, it’s not just a rainforest, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, and Endor, home of the Ewoks in Star Wars; Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (showing my baby?)
The Mosses Hall Trail takes you through a particularly spectacular section of the Hoh Rainforest, taking you through tall trees and park-style trees (seriously, some of the trees are taller than me). If you are visiting the Pacific Northwest with children, in addition to the magical views of the forest, this is one of the best family tours because the route offers interpretive signs that provide interesting information about the forest, ecology and wildlife. .
So even though it’s a bit off the beaten path, Hall of Moss feels like something out of a fairy tale and one of the most unforgiving stops in the park.
Description: The way to the hole in the wall is very easy. in fact, you’re walking distance from Rialto Beach Park, one of the most beautiful beaches in Olympic National Park. Along the way, you’ll climb large whitewashed wooden blocks and see beautiful views of the coast. After about 1.5 miles, you will come to beautiful cliffs jutting out from the sea and a natural arch carved into the rock (literally “Hole in the Wall”).
Olympic National Park Hiking
Once you pass the arch, you’ll see that it beautifully spans the neighboring beaches, and you’ll see some of the best Olympic sights, including starfish, manta rays and anemones.
Description: Tuvel Hill is one of the best hikes I’ve done – EVER – and one of the most incredible stops to add to the Olympic National Park trails. Once you park your car and actually climb to the top of Mount Angeles, the trail will take you to the ridge where you can sing the Sound with stunning views of the Bailey Range of the Olympic Mountains from all sides. The sound of music.
You will have the opportunity to see wild flowers in technical colors along the way (if you walk in summer); many companions such as mountain goats or black deer; and on a clear day it can be seen as far as beautiful Vancouver Island in Canada.
The beginning of the trail is flat, about half a mile of walking with a gentle climb; After about a mile, you will begin climbing four steps to the top of Destruction Hill. Don’t worry if the last climb is too difficult. this is one of those times when hiking is really about the journey, not the destination.
Day Olympic National Park Itinerary For First Timers
Description: The Ozette Circuit (also known as the Ozette Triangle) is a very unique ride. From the parking lot near the Ozette Ranger Station, you can pick up the two legs of the equilateral triangle that make up the trail (I knew my fourth grade geography would come in handy one day!) – North Sand Point Trail to South and Trail Cape. Alavan to the north). Whichever route you choose, you’ll follow a wooden farm boardwalk that snakes through an ancient forest of cedar and hemlock.
After walking for more than three kilometers under a grove of giant trees, the road will take you to the Pacific Ocean, where you will have an endless view of the mountain passes above the pine trees. Here you’ll walk 3.3 miles along the beach (from Sand Point to Cape Alava, the western tip of the United States, or vice versa) and along the way you’ll climb over large forests, around rocky cliffs, and into the ocean; life and fauna pass through countless overflowing containers.
You also have a good chance of spotting coastal wildlife; for example, we saw a ton of deer and bald eagles. In fact, it appears to be the most impressive nature trail in the world. even as a grown woman I felt like a little child getting closer and closer to the beautiful beach.
When you’re ready to say goodbye to the Pacific Ocean, you’ll have another chance to see the beauty of Washington’s forests and return to the park on the other side of the triangle.
What To See & Do In Olympic Park, Washington
The place: Since this is circular, you can start from Sol Duc Road or here from Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort (I recommend starting from Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort so you can see more of the waterfall on the way) to the end. ), one hour southwest of Port Angeles.
Description: Rain forests, waterfalls, hot springs. this tour has it all! On the south side of the loop, you’ll pass straight through a beautiful Middle-earth rainforest with towering sitka trees (the world’s tallest juniper species) and cardboard mushrooms.
The trail is full of all kinds of interesting features, like a tree carved into a scale bridge to cross a wooden forest that flows over a gray river and a mysterious stream. And if the Hobbit Forest isn’t enough for you, this trail offers not one, but TWO waterfalls: the 53-foot Lovers’ Trail and the 50-foot Sol Duck Falls, which are said to be the most beautiful. Unlike most of the Olympic waterfalls in the park, you enter the hole below the triangular cascade and look out onto the beach.
Description: Storm King Mountain is technically and physically challenging, but the end result is worth it. You will start on a winding road through a forest of giant cedars. After about half a mile, there will be a random sign showing a Storm King attached to a rock on the left. After that marker, you’ll have a serious transition for another 1.7 miles, slowly taking in the stunning blue waters of Lake Esaramai and the emerald hills below, and finally.
